Bell ringer



A. L. BRIDG'HAM BELL RINGER Apr@ 9, w29.

Filed June 14, 1928 W r E.

f m pd Patented 9, 1929. e

raiser clasica.

ARTHUR L. BRIDGHAM, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSJGNGR OF ONE-HALF TOHARRY VJ. MAXWELL, F WOLLASTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BELL RNGER.

Application filed June 14,

rThe invention relates to an improvement in bell ringers of a type inwhich the bell is rung by application of iuid pressure though permittingot manual ringing as occasion may require.

The essential object ot the invention, apart from the obtaining ot abell-ringing mechanism ot practical. and economic structure, is toobtain one capable of so ringing the bell that there will be a propertime interval between its strokes, the ringing being more' or lesscomparable with hand ringing. A dithculty which has hitherto beenencountered with a mechanical bell ringer is that it is apt to ring thebell too violently and too tast, and

my object is to obviate this diliiculty. i The invention can best beseen and understood by reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa View partly in cross section and partly in side elevation et abellequipped with a bell-ringing mechanism embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a trent elevation of a detail of construction to whichreference will later be made.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents thebell fixed to a yoke 2 fromthe head ot which the bell hangs suspended. The yoke is secured to anysuitable base of support 3. The bell is provided with a trustro-conicaltop extension l which lits within a socket 5 in the head of the yoke andinto which it is drawn and tightened and the bell fastened to the yokeby means of a bolt 6 the head 7 et which bears against the interior oitthe top wall of the bell while the shank of the bolt extends through thetop of the bell and through its top extension 4l with threaded endprojecting above the extension and beyond the adjacent top side of theyoke. @n the threaded end ot the bolt thus projecting is arranged a'tightening nut 8 which bears against the top side ot the yoke, a washer9 being interposed between the nutl and the yoke. lilith the parts thusarranged, when the nut is tightened the bell will become securely Vtiredto the yoke.

F ixed to the head 7 ot the bolt and preterably by integral connectionis a cylinder 10 which projects into the chamber of the bell. The bottomend 11 of this cylinder is cleft and projecting laterally trom the cleftportions thereof are spaced ears l2 to which is 1928. Serial No.255,487.

pivoted lever 18 by a pin 1/1. The lever comprises arms 15 and 16,respectively. Ot these the arm 15 forms the bell tongue or clapper bywhich the bell is sounded. The arm bears upon its end a ball striker 17which gives weight tothe arm. rllhe arm 16 ot' the lever is the one towhich torce is applied for turning the lever and thereby sounding thebell. This arm occupies an angular relation to the arm 15 and extendslaterally into the cleft end of the cylinder 10 where it may be engagedby a plunger 18 working within the cylinder. The weighted arm 15 of thelevez` which in so lar as the lever is concerned controls the positionof the arm 16, will normally hang pendant inside the chamber of the bellfrom the liXture to which it is pivoted and trom this pendant positionit is turned to strike the bell. The relative disposition ot the arms 15and 16 of the lever is such that the arm 16 will continue to becontained within the lower end ot' the cylinder 11 whether the arm 15 isoccupying either a gravitated or striking position. In other words, thearm 16 'will occupy such position with relation to the plunger 18operating wit-hin the cylinder as to be capable of being acted upon orof acting` upon this plunger whatever the position of the arm 15 ot' thelever may be.

rlhe plunger 18 working within the cylinder 10 is provided withoutstanding ribs or rings 19 by which it has a snug sliding litV withinthe cylinder. 1t is the lower end ot the plunger which engages the arm16 ot the lever-13. @n its upperend the plunger presents a shoulder 21from which rises a contracted neck portion 22 bearing upon its end ahead 23 with ports or openings'24l through it. rlhere is thus lettbetween the shoulder 21 ot the plunger and its head 23 an annularchamber 25 within the cylinder 10. The disposition and arrangement otthe plunger with relation to the top end 26 of the cylinder are suchthat a chamber 27 willy be left between the end 26 ot' the cylinder andthe head 23 ot the plunger. The cylinder 1() is alsov provided withinlet and outlet ports 29 and 30, respectively, for the admission andescape of fluid pressure. The inlet port 29 is arranged to pass throughthe wall 01"V the cylinder and communicate with the annular chamber 25between the shoulder 21 and the head 23 of the plunger. rThe outlet port30 is arranged to communicate with the Chamber 2'? above the head of theplungerl whereby fluid pressure may escape therefrom to the atmosphereduring the operation of the device as will later be explained. Adjacent`the inicil port 29 the cylinder is thickened by an annular boss 31 andhaving threaded connection with this boss is a fluidv inlet pipeconnection 32 by which 'fluid under pressure, preferably compressed air,is admitted through the port 29 to the chamber ot the cylinder foractuating the plunger and thereby turning the lever Q3 for operating thebellvclapper or tongueV for ringing the bell as will presently be eX-plained.

Located within the chamber in the cylinder 10 and between the shoulder21 and head 23 oil" the plunger is a lvalve 33 which controls the inletandfoutlet ports 29 and 30, respectively. vrllhis valve is in the natureof a short internal sleeve slidable upon the interior of thc cylinderand covering its respective ports depending upon the moved position ofthe valve. The valve has a snug sliding lit onthe interior wall oi:the-cylinder so that it will maintain any position to which it is moved.Y

The general operation is as follows z- 'l` he operating parts as shownin Fig. 1 are occupying the relative positions occupied by them at aboutthebeginning of the period when the 'iluid pressure is acting upon theplunger for turning the lever 13 and thereby actuating lits tongue orclapper element to strike the bell. At this time it will be seen thatfthe valve 33 is occupying a position where it 'leaves uncovered thelinlet port 29, but covers und thereby closes the voutlet port 30.VFluidpressure then entcringby 'way of the pipe '32 and inlet port willpass into the chamber Q5 within the cylinder I10 and thcncoby wayoi theports 2li-in the head 23 oit the plunger will pass into the chamber 27in the cyl inder above theihead ol: the plunger. rllhe'pressure willthen bekept from escaping through the outlet port by the valve. Thepressure thus contained in the respective chambers will operate to movethe plunger downward. As the plunger `moves down- 'a rd it willopcrateto turn vthe lever 13 and thereiiy actuele-its tongue or clappcrclement to strike the bell. As the plunger is moved downward, its headengaging the valve 33 will move the downward within the cylinder Il()and at about theftime the tongue or cluppe-r has beenl moved fintostriking engagement witlithe bellthe valve will have been moved by thehead of the plunger to a position where it covers and thereby closes the`inlet yport29 and opens the outlet-por 30. 'lliereupon the iluidpressure is cut ofi and any vitluid pressurealready contained within thecylinder vis allowed to escape `to the atmosphere. The fluid pressurethus being cut cil, the `lever 13 will be perini'ttedto turn back in thedirection of its normal gravioperate to litt the plunger.

ta'ted position, its tongue or clapper then moving auf-'ay from thebell. Ars the lever thus turns back, actuated by gravity, it will Atabout this instant the shoulder 21 onthe plunger will be occupying aposition spaced from' and below the lower side of the valve. Accordinglythe 'valve remaining closed and no fluid pressure bein g admitted to thecylinder, the leverwill have opportunity to gravit te back toward itsnormal position an appreciable amount or until the plunger has beenlii'ted to a point where its shoulder 21 will engage the valve 33 andelevate the valve until it uncovers the inlet port 29 and 'closes theoutlet port 30 or, in other words, occupies a position substantially asshown in Fig. 1.y l/llhen the plunger has thus raised the valve to itsopen position by the engagement oi its shoulder 21 as. just noted, thehead 23 or' the plunger will have been elevated to a `position above tuevalve 33. Thereupon the valve, leaving open the inlet port 29, closesthe outlet port 30 and fluid pressure will beV allowed'to enter thechambers 25 and, 27 within the cylinder and thereupon will operate todepress the plunger and turn the lever 13 for striking the bell, whichaction continues until the head oi the 'plunger engages the valve 33when the operation continues as just described.

lt will be observed'in connection with this operation that the pressureis acting to actuate the tongue or clapper for striking the bell only attimed intervals. rthat is, there certain lag in the operation olI theparts which permits the lever 13 and its tongue or clapper element,which does the actual striking, to turn back Vtrom a striking positionby gravity and `accordingly with more or less slowness oil movement.Consequently though lluid pressure ,is employed 'to Yactuate the tongueorelapper 'for striking the bell, yet there a` certain relatively slowprecision in the striking operationso that the tones of the bell will beseparate and distinct and not run together.

ln addition to .the mechanism above dcscribed liorringing the bell byapplication of fluid pressure, provision is also made by which the bellmay vbe rung inanu..lly.v To this end a rodi-35 is passed down throughthe bolt (i and through the endo'i' the cylinder 10 so thai-the innerend oiithe rod may engage the head 23 oli' the plunger 13, the outer endoli' the rod tlnis extendingabove and beyond the end ot the bolt. 'llhusarranged, upon an application oi pressure to the upper' end the rod itwill be moved downward to engage the plunger and the plunger will bemoved downward'by it, thereby turning the lever 13 Yfrom its normalgravitated position into its active or engaging position where its arm15 acting as a elapper will strikethe biell. rl`hereupon prf/"sure onthe rod 35 being released, the lever will be allowed to fall back ico'Cil

to its normal gravitated position, both plunger and rod then beinglitted, when the operation may be repeated.

For applying pressure to the rod 35 a lever 36 is employed mounted toturn upon a standard 37 preferably fitted to the washer 9 which isinterposed between the yoke 2 bearing the bell and the nut 8. The lever36 may be turned through a fiexble connection (not shown) secured to itsoperating arm. K

In order to prevent fluid pressure escaping upward by way ot the openingthrough the end of cylinder and bolt within which the rod 35 is slidablymounted, the inner end of the rod is provided with a valve 38 which lieswithin the chamber 27 ot the cylinder. This valve is adapted to closeagainst a valve seat 39 formed on the end 26 otl the cylinder aroundthe` o iening through which the rod extends. villhen the valve is closedengaging its seat lluid pressure is prevented from escaping through theopening, and the valve will be closed upon entry ot the fluid pressureinto the chamber 27, the pressure then acting upon the head ot the valvelying within this chamber 'for closing it.

Having thus Jiully described my invention, l claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent ot the United States l. rihe combination with abell,ot a striker arranged to swing between an engaging position and adisengaging gravitated position, mechanism operable by fluid pressureactive when the striker is in its gravitated position 'for moving thestriker from its gravitated position to its striking position, means forthe introduction ot fluid pressure to said mechanism, and meansautomatically controlled by said mechanism excluding said tluid pressureand permitting ot the return by gravity ot the striker :trom itsengaging position to its gravitated position.

Q. The combination with a bell, of a striker arranged to swing betweenan engaging position and a disengaging gravitated position, mechanismoperable by iiuid pressure active when the striker is in its gravitatedposition `lfor moving the striker from its gravdtated position to itsstriking position, means 'tor the introduction ot Fluid pressure to saidmechanism, a valve 'tor controlling the introdiilction ot the itluidpressure to said mechanism, and means wht-roby said mechanism will closesaid valve when the striker has attained its striking position andpermit ot the continued closure ot said valve during the return ot thestriker from its striking position to its disengaging gravitatedposition and will open said valve when the striker is in its gravitatedposition.

8. T he combination with a bell, of a lever comprising in part a strikeradapted t0 have a normal gravitated disengaging position or an engagingposition dependent upon the turned position ot the lever, a cylinder, a

plunger reciprocable `within the cylinder and in normal engagement withthe lever, means -tor pivotally arranging the lever whereby it may beturned and its striker moved trom a gravitated disengaging position intoan engaging position by the plunger as the plunger is moved in onedirection and the plunger be moved in a reverse direction by said leverwhen its striker by the turning ot saidlevcr is permitted to resume itsdisengaging gravitate/d position away from its engaging position, meanswhereby fluid pressure may be admitted to said cylinder for lmoving theplunger in said one direction, and means tor automatically controllingsaid fluid pressure whereby it may be admitted to move the plunger' insaid one direction when the striker is in its gravit-ated disengagingpositionand the tluid pressure be excluded 'from the cylinder andplunger after the striker has attained a striking position and duringits return to its gravitated position.

l. The combination with a bell, ot a lever comprising in part a strikeradapted to have a normal gravitated disengaging position or an engagingposition dependent upon the turned position of the lever, a cylinderhaving Huid-pressure inlet and outlet ports, respectively, a plungerreciprocable within the cylinder having a body portion presenting ashoulder, a contracted neck portion and a head, said plunger being innormal engagement with the lever, a valve within the cylinder interposedbetween the head and shoulder portions ot the plunger for controllingthe respective ports in the cylinder depending as the plunger is movedin reverse directions, means tor pivotally arranging said lever wherebyit may be turned and its striker moved trom a gravitated disengagingposition into an engaging position by the plunger as the plunger ismoved in one direction and the plunger be moved in a reverse directionby said lever when its strikerby the turning of said lever is permittedto resume its disen-^ gaging gravitated position away from its engagingposition, and means Ltor admitting l'luid pressure to the inlet port ofthe cylinder.

5. rlhe combination with a bell, ot a lever comprising in part a strikeradapted to have a normal gravitated uisengaging position or an engagingposition depending upon the turned position ot the lever, mechanismoperable by fluid pressure active to turn the lever when its striker isin its gravitated posin tion 'tor moving the striker from its gravitatedposition to its striking position, said mechanism including a plunger innormal engagen'ient with said lever, means for pivotally arranging thelever whereby it may be turned and its striker moved from a gravitateddisengaging position into an engaging position by the plunger as theplunger is moved in one direction and the plunger be moved in a reversedirection by said lever when its striker the introduction of 'fluidpressure to seidl mechanism, means for automatically controlling` thefluid pressure Wliereby it may be admitted to lmove the plunger in saidoner direction when the striker is in its gravitated disengaglngposition und t-lie fluid pressure be excluded from the plunger after thestriker l0 has attained a striking position and duringl its ret-urn toits graviteted position, and means whereby said plunger may be manuallymoved in said one direction for turning the lever, said means includinga pusli rod and means for manually operating said rod.

ARTHUR L. BRIDG-HAM.

